The power of internet protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet, is their connectionless method of transporting data from source to destination and their ability to carry all services over a single network. Increasingly, there is a push to “collapse” the exiting and separate voice and data network into a single IP network by implementing voice over IP (VoIP) on the same network that carries data traffic. Once of the many problems in using VoIP to carry telephone calls is compliance with wiretapping laws such as the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994, commonly referred to as CALEA.
In applying CALEA to VoIP, there are a number of technological hurdles. VoIP is becoming reliable and robust, but it is not easily monitored. In a circuit-switched network there are physical locations to tap into, but VoIP, like any IP communications, is connectionless, meaning it has to be tapped at a network aggregation point, and has to be anchored to the monitoring device through means such as packet anchoring using network address translation. Additionally, there must be a mechanism to separate the identifying information associated with the call from the substance of the communication itself, for example for a VoIP call there must be a mechanism for retrieving only the caller's phone number or IP address without providing access to the actual voice content of the call. Other requirements involve the interception of conference calls, both subject initiated and party hold, join, and drop.
Accordingly, what is needed is a network processing system that is able to intercept IP communications, provide identifying information separately from content, and provide detailed records of the communication.